Friday, September 30, 2011

Yesterday, Hailey and I interviewed a dog walker. This is our conversation after.

Lady: "Hailey what did you think of Stephanie?"

Lee: "I don't know yet. She gave me cookies, which was good, but she seemed to be an all talk no action kind of person. She kept saying walk but I didn't go on one while she was here."

Lady: "We were meeting her to see if we thought she would be a good match. Even though there are not many dog walkers in the east end of the city, it is important that we both like her. I thought she seemed very nice."

Lee: "Let me go for a few walks with her and then I will decide."

Lady: "That is fair, it is kind of like dating I guess, you both have to feel the other out."

Lee: "Exactly. I am wondering if 30 minutes will be enough. Lady, you usually take me out longer."

Lady: "We are trying this out to see. We can see about making it longer if you like it."

Lee: "I love walks. I love walking with you Lady. Why won't you take me? Do you not love me?"

Lady: "I love you very much, and I will still take you. It is only 2 mornings a week that you will walk with her. We will go out those evenings, and we have all our other mornings."

Lee: "Ok, I will try this and I will let you know. When is my first walk?"

Lady: "Monday. You will go out with her Monday and Wednesday. It will be fun."

Lee: "Maybe she will let me get the squirrels. If she does, I will love her more than I love you!"

Thursday, September 29, 2011

The other day I got to go somewhere special, I was so excited in the car, it was somewhere new.

We got there and Aunt C was there and it was exciting but she was in my way, I needed to get into the house.

Finally I got in and it was so exciting. There was my Grammie and the Big Guy and Dustin and Aunt C and so much to smell and search.

Then I found cousin Lemew. I was so happy to find him. He didn't want to come out. I tried to get him to come out from under the chair. I tried to get under the chair with him, but that didn't work either. Finally Aunt C got him out and he ran to the basement and I wanted to run too but my people kept stopping me. I tried to go down really slowly on my belly to see if they would not see me when I was in my stealth mode, but they caught me and brought me back upstairs. They put chairs across the basement and then Lemew came up, but he didn't want to play. It made me sad.

Lee talking to Lemew

To help with my sadness, my Lady had some new babies for me. I got to take them out of the bag. While I do love them, especially the new turtle, it was too exciting to play.

Lee opening the new babies

Aunt C had the best machine in the world. You put a cup under it and push it and fresh water came out. I tried to get some water that way, but my Lady wouldn't share and she just took me back to the pet bowl. I think I deserve to drink from the water cooler.

I was very good and went to the door and scratched when I needed to go out.

I had so much fun sniffing and sniffing and jumping up on people and showing off my tricks. I was sad to go. I got out of my harness in the car again. I don't like being in the car in the night. I came home and crashed and slept like the dead.

I hope I get to go back to fun places like Aunt C's again.

Editor's note: Lee was a very good girl, just a very busy and active one!

Monday, September 26, 2011

The scene: Lady is sitting in her not hotel room n as she is away for a few days working. The Man and Lee are at home. It is getting late on a Sunday evening and the Man calls the Lady.

Man: "You know that gross raw hide Lee keeps bring in from the yard. It is like a drug to her. After chewing it, she ran around, she ripped the sock off my foot, she was humping Ninny, she has beaten up giraffe . . . Hailey stop it, stop eating the couch, get a baby!" This is followed by the sounds of barking and other crazy noises and it is difficult to continue the conversation with the yelling.

Who knew that if you buried raw hide in the backyard for a couple weeks and dug it out, it was like a doggy drug. The Man did not capture video of this for the Lady, he said it was challenging as his socks were being pulled off.

The Lady may be glad to be far away . . . at least she won't have to clean up the mess!

Sunday, September 25, 2011

When I was going through my pictures, I found this one from a few weeks ago. A few weeks ago Hailey went through the get into the garbage phase of her life. She got into several days in a row. What is interesting to me is that she got into it after the cats did. It is sort of like she didn't know she could do that until they told her. My dog has great observational learning skills!

I am guessing, since we compost, there wasn't really good stuff in the garbage because she has stopped doing this (thankfully!)

Saturday, September 24, 2011

The scene: Ottawa Canine School on a Friday night
The participants: 8 very different dogs
The goal: To try out having your dogs sniff out treats in identical pizza boxes
Our reason for going: To see if Lee liked this or was good at it before considering putting her in a class; to expose her to new things; to tire her out.

Here is our story:

Lee: We were going in the car and I didn't recognize at first where we were going, I was looking out the window and then I saw it and I was sooooooo excited. I remembered it. School! I get lots of treats there.

Lady: I could tell you remembered, you did your I know where we are singing.

Lee: It was so exciting and I had to wait a little and then I went first and I got so many treats. It was great, but then, then I wasn't so happy. The other dogs were going and getting treats. Some of them took a long time to find their treats. I tried to tell them where they were by calling to them. I could have found them faster. I am a horrible waiter.

Lee - standing up to look over the barrier to see what the other dogs were doing.

Lady: I can't judge you for being a horrible waiter, I am also a horrible waiter. But I didn't love it when you were crying and barking and trying to chew your leash off to try and get free to get the cookies. You were the only dog who was behaving like that.

Lee: I think that is because the other dogs didn't understand what was going on, they were missing the fact that there were cookies that needed to be hunted quickly. It was almost as exciting as squirrels.

Lady: I have to say that on your turn you were rather amazing at this. You were very systematic about it and fast and determined. I was impressed with your ability to focus and work. You were a very good sniffer hunter. I really liked how you only tried to open the box with the cookie inside.

Lee: Thank you, I try. I had fun, I just hated waiting Lady. I didn't get enough turns, 6 was not enough. I should have done all the turns . . . . . . .

Lady: I know Lee. But it is important to learn to wait. We can work on this more together. Hopefully a scent class will fit into our crazy schedule soon.

Lee: I will like it best if it is a private lesson. Oh and I didn't like the drive home in the dark. I couldn't see where I was going. I didn't like it.

Lady: I know. Can you tell me how you managed to get out of the new harness? You have never done that before.

Lee: I am a magician. I will not share my secrets!

Please consider making a donation to Humane Society International at http://www.hsi.org/world/canada/ to help the 527 recently rescued dogs (and the 90 puppies that have already been born and the 30 or so dogs expecting litters) have the opportunity for a loving life. No amount is too small!

Monday, September 19, 2011

It was a beautiful last weekend of summer, and Hailey and I went out to catch the Man playing Ultimate. (This is a sport that uses a disc aka frisbee).

Things Hailey liked: Running on the field after the game was over, when the man came off the field and saw her.
Things she didn't like/was unsure of: Little kids (about aged 2) coming near her, a baby crying, all the people yelling, having to be on her leash, strangers petting her, the man leaving her.

Really, she didn't appear to enjoy it. She was nervous the entire time, but she was a superstar. She was really well behaved and only barked 2 times for a very short period of time. It was a good experience and it seemed to tire her out! I would consider taking her again!

Sunday, September 18, 2011

It is featured on a great new site that Barley and Ali recommended. Check it out at: http://www.fromalonetohome.com/ (or the link on the side).

If you know of a dog looking to share an adoption story, check them out and submit your story!

Also if anyone out there is anyone out there looking for a new pet, Petfinder.com has a very special week - Adopt a less Adoptable Pet. Less adoptable pets include (but are not limited to), older ones, ones with minor health problems and sometimes even specific colours (like black!). If you are looking to share your home, think about sharing it with a deserving very special pet!

Hailey would like to say thank you to everyone who was involved with and has since spread the word about the closure of Canada's largest puppy mill, Paws R Us.

She would especially like to thank Mel from Furry Four Legged Foster Friends (http://furryfourleggedfosterfriends.blogspot.com/) for making her search to learn more easy. Mel kept tweeting links, such as http://www.cfra.com/?cat=1&nid=81632. Hailey says some of the images in other stories were too graphic for her, but she is glad they were shared for other people who would need to see that to know treating animals poorly is NOT ok.

Hailey hopes that all the puppies who can be saved find homes as loving as hers, even if her people are sometimes mean and make her do things she doesn't like, like get her nails cut.

Talking about puppy mills, led to a discussion between the Lady and Lee about the treatment of animals in general. The Lady told Lee that it took a very special woman, Dr. Temple Grandin, a woman with autism (followers will know a cause near and dear to the Lady's heart as she works with this amazing population) to revolutionize the slaughter industry to make it more humane. Off the top of the Lady's head she can't remember what percentage of American slaughter facilities use Dr. Grandin's design, but it is high and growing every day.

Hailey said that maybe Dr. Grandin's work, and closures of puppy mills are steps toward a world where people aren't "complete asses" (her direct quote) and treat all living creatures with dignity and respect. (Except for squirrels, she says people can treat squirrels poorly as they are evil).

For now she says the other animals on the planet are waiting . . . . .

Saturday, September 17, 2011

I feel I am be being misrepresented by all the things my Lady writes and says about me. I wanted to set the record straight.

I try very, very hard to be a good girl. I listen when I feel the commands being given are reasonable. For example at the park yesterday, my Man yelled come, and I did hear him, but what he didn't know was there was a very evil squirrel that was trying to take over the world laughing at me in the woods. I felt it was my duty as a canine citizen to protect my people from such evil. That is why I had to run away to try and get it. Maybe if my man had not been yelling so much I would not have missed that evil one by inches! I have posted several times about the evils of the squirrel but I don't think humans truly understand it. Will squirrels have to steal your cars and take over your houses for you to understand they are an evil army?

As for destroying things, I personally don't see what the big deal is. This is my territory. The stuff is in my territory. Therefore it is my stuff. I think you people have a weird attachment to stuff. The stuff you directly give me (my babies and chewies - including the kong I have almost eaten threw) I destroy. Stuff should be destroyed or buried. That is the way it is. I also think that one of my jobs as the family dog is to help my people with their spiritual side. Like the Buddhists, I am suggesting that perhaps sometimes my people put too much stock in their material goods. I am helping unburden their souls as I chew their things. Yeah, that is it.

I am doing my best and I love my people very much. I know when my Lady reads me stories about dogs in puppy mills and abused dogs, I am very luck. People have to remember, I am still really a baby at 20 months. I no longer have a role model on how to behave and while I get lonely sometimes I think I like being an only dog. I will keep trying.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Once upon a time, the Lady was able to keep the Bug's toys in a box. This was great. The Lady would leave a couple toys out. When they got too dirty, or when the lady thought it was time she would switch the toys. This worked well and the Bug was so excited to see the old toys again. Then the Bug figured out how to get into the toy box. Now as soon as her toys go in the box the Bug takes them out. This is now what the living room floor looks like almost all the time.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

I realize as I have become a member of the larger dog community, that I can be very judgmental about other dog owners. It is now my goal to be less judgmental. It is not like I have the perfect dog:) [See previous posts as well as follow the daily check in for time without destruction on twitter.]

Besides judging about dogs behaviour, one of the areas that I have the most trouble not being judgmental about is vet care. This is funny because I know many people have judged me on the amount of money I spent on Loki in his final year. (The post the cost goes over that). I have been thinking a lot about why I am very judgemental about vet care and because I love lists, here are my reasons.

1) My vet is a very close personal friend. I trust him and his staff with my animals more than I think I would trust doctors with my own medical care. (I tell them this all the time). I know if he or one of the others recommends something, it is what I should do. (They often give me all options, but are always clear on what they think is the best).

2) I can afford vet care. Knock on wood, so far my pets have never required care I could not afford (the joys of being DINKS!) I am not saying I haven't had to give things up to pay for the care, but I never, ever had to decide between something like eating and medicine for a pet. I am blessed. (I think I judge people who can't afford extra-ordinary care the same as people who can afford it, but don't see the value in it).

3) I have very clear personal views on acceptable medical care for myself and loved ones. (My living will reads like War and Peace).

4) My pets are my family members. I have become "that" dog owner (I am not sure when I got that crazy, that is for another day). I would do almost anything to have more quality time with each former and current pack member. As much work as they can be, I wouldn't trade them for anything.

5) I don't believe in having a pet suffer because it is too sad or hard to say goodbye. I think that is shelfish. I considered trying to keep Gemi alive when she was dying so my husband would be home to say goodbye, but in the end decided this would extend her suffering and it wasn't likely she was going to make another week.

So when I read things about other people choosing to provide medical care that I think is crazy (there is not much, I considered letting my dog be the first dog to try blood doping at one point. For both Loki and Gemi I did everything medically reasonable. I am also the proud owner of a magnet that was removed from Bagheera's intestine - don't ask -) or when I hear about people who refuse any medical care, I will say "Just because it is not what I would do, it doesn't make it wrong." I will probably have to say that a million times but I am hopeful eventually I won't judge others. I know how hard it has been for me to make certain medical decisions (even some that turned out ok in the end). It is hard to stop the " should have/could have/would haves" during and after. I will give others the benefit of the doubt and assume their decisions were as heart wrenching. Or maybe it would jut be easier to pretend I didn't hear them:)

My angels, Gemini and Loki.
If money could have bought us more medical care that = quality time, I would have spent it.

Monday, September 12, 2011

In our house our loads are: Whites, Darks, Colours and Pets. Pet load includes towels dirty from wiping feet, towels dirty from cleaning up cat urine (our one cat likes to pee beside the box) and babies that have been buried in the yard.

Yesterday I opened the washer after the pet load and was greeted with stuffing. I guess my stitches in big Gator Baby didn't hold in the wash and he opened and spilled his guts all in the machine. Love is standing at the washing machine re-stuffing the dog's favourite toy when you really want to throw it away, but you know they don't make this toy anymore, so you should try and save it.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Lady: "LeeLee did you have a good time at the pit."
LeeLee: "I am tired and sleeping leave me alone."
Lady: "Lee, I asked you a question, did you have a good time."
LeeLee: "It was so much fun, I got to run free and sniff. I was hunting things. I hunted the grasshopper. I got it. The world is safe now."
Lady: "My favourite part was when the kid came out of the woods and scared you and you were barking and scared of the woods after."
LeeLee: "That was not funny, that was serious. Kids grew in the bush there, that is scary."
Lady: "What was your favourite part about being there?"
LeeLee: "I did like the little bit of playing I did with the other dogs. Patrick was fun. He chased me a lot. I think my favourite part was sniffing and hunting. Sometimes the other dogs interfered with that."
Lady: "Well you were a very good girl and we will be able to go back again."
LeeLee: "Can we go right now?"

Saturday, September 10, 2011

It has been determined this week that Hailey (while a lovely name we like) is not an appropriate name for our girl. She has fall fever (which I didn't know existed) and has been hyper all week. Besides being destruco-dog, she has just been hyper. She even tried to hump her man in a moment of craziness. So we are calling her Hyper-rella.

To help with this, we upped her exercise (and as I sit here writing this with my aching legs). We have lots of training sessions throughout the day (she is doing great with her tricks). My husband has taken her to the dog park (this is the final frontier for me and my grief, I can go with someone but can't go alone since Gemi's death, it is too stress provoking). At the park she is out of control and not listening (although it does tire her out a little). She is so hyper at the park she doesn't even play, she just runs crazy.

This was my first week back to work full time since Gemi's death. Fortunately I got to work from home most of it. Next week I am going to be out a little more, let's hope this Hyper-rella phase is over by then.

Friday, September 9, 2011

The other day, Miss Bug invited her Aunt C over for dinner (I know, what a talented dog I have!). As a thank you gift Aunt C brought her a chewy. In the old days (when we had two dog pack members), Lee would sit and chew it for hours as in the first pictures.

However, since becoming an only dog, she chews them for a few minutes and then this happens. Watch the very short video below!

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

I love my people, but they make me do stupid things to get treats. If they really loved me they would just give me the treats. I try hard just to stick my head into the cookie bag, but they make me earn a lot of them. Before we started this new training I could sit, stay when I felt like it, give a paw, bang (where I fall over and play dead), watch TV and usually come. I could live with this.

Now I am being home schooled and while I love all the treats I think some of the things are stupid. I have mastered paws up and pray and dance. I think bow is the stupidest thing ever and am having trouble with this one. A girl shouldn't stick her bum up in the air like that. I got hi five really fast (it is just paw so I don't know what they were so excited about), but am not sure about wave. Why would I wave when I can wag my tail? We also tried something they called "hup" where I had to walk through my people's arms.

There are 3 other stupid things my people are making me do every day: tolerating brushing (this isn't so bad); brushing my teeth (if they stick to the outside it isn't so bad, I don't love the inside); and my least favourite thing, the thing that makes all the training seem like a fun good time - pretend nail clipping. This is where the people touch a metal thing to my paws. Everyday. I hate it. There are not enough treats in the world to make this seem like a good idea.

Lee dancing

While I am happy being an only dog I wonder if my people need a second dog to torture. All this love and attention may be too much.

Monday, September 5, 2011

In honour of Lee's adoption week, I thought it would be great to share the top 5 favourite things our girl has destroyed (we can laugh about them now).

5. The recycling bin: This happened while I was saying goodbye to Gemi.
What makes this one special is that it made me laugh at a time
I didn't think I could every laugh again and it reminded me that no matter what
tragedies we face in our lives, life goes on.
You might as well find the good/funny things in it, or it just isn't worth it!

4. The first crate bottom. This is when we had the first hints we had destructo-dog

3. Alligator Baby - this picture is from the the first time.
Gator now gets sewed back together weekly.
I repaired 3 holes in him this week.

2. The second crate - This is when we knew we could not contain this dog!
Also, they told me there was no way she could get out of it.
I guess they were wrong!

1. Shoes: It got rid of old shoes of my husband's that I wanted to throw out, and when she ate mine, well I am a girl, any excuse to get new shoes!

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Today marks one year since Lee joined the pack (and the anniversary of when I officially lost my mind!)

As per our pack tradition the day will be spent sing at and mauling the pet. They love it! (Not really, I think previous pack members have dreaded this day and by the end of it would avoid me, but never the less it is a tradition).

While the past 5 weeks have been emotionally hard at times, and those who read the blog regularly know that there have been some challenging moments over the past year with our girl, but today's post is to celebrate the things we love about Lee!

As per David Letterman: Top 10 reasons we love our LeeLee Bug (10 wasn't as hard to come up with as I thought it might be!)

10. Unlike our past dogs, we have one who can learn tricks (our past dogs were more like lazy people then dogs!)

9. She is just so darn cute (a factor that has saved her many times after I have come home and found something else destroyed).

8. Her adventures always lead to a good story (most of which we can laugh about later).

7. She has decided that sleeping under the bed is best (I love having the leg room. For a good story about this visit Furry Four Legged Foster Friends - the link in on the right - the piece is called real estate)

6. She is starting to calm down (when we first met her, this seemed like something that was never going to happen, and yet I brought her home anyway!)

5. She is able to get our attention when she wants love. Not that we like being smacked in the face with her strong paws, but at least she communicates!

4. She knows the command "watch TV" and will actually reference the TV. Her favourite things are other animals especial dogs, big cats and horses. If she wasn't so busy she may have been a good couch potato!

3. She provides opportunities for exercise. One of the reasons I wanted a dog her size was to get me out walking more (this is one of the few forms of exercise I enjoy). My legs and butt live in a state of soreness from all the walking we do and somedays no matter how far we walk and how sore I may feel, she would love to keep going).

2. Her mysterious quality. We will always wonder, "what kind of dog is she?" and my favourite "What new thing will she destroy today?"

And the Number 1 thing we love about Lee is . . . .

watching her run. The sheer joy she expresses when running free. There is nothing in the world more beautiful! (and not much as fast)

Thank you to everyone at Catahoula Rescue who saved our Lee and have given us so much joy! May the many dogs who have been rescued by Catahoula and the other amazing rescues in North America, find loving owners who can love them even when their behaviour may make it hard!

Friday, September 2, 2011

Once upon a time, I had a great life. I lived with my people and another cat. It was great. It was all about me. My people were good to me. When I ate a magnet they had it removed from my stomach even though they were poor students and didn't really have the money to spend.

Almost 10 years ago my people did something terrible. They brought in these little ugly white things. They called them dogs. I hated them. While I have always been more solitary in nature, I do enjoy love on my terms. But for nearly 10 years I avoided my people. I hated them for bringing in these white things. I spent as much time as possible in the basement away from the rest of the pack.

During this time I hoped and prayed that those white things would go away and I could be king. Recently I got my wish and while other people mourned I did the dance of joy! No more white dogs. I get to be king again!

There is still a big dumb black one, but I don't find her nearly as offensive. She leaves me alone for the most part and appears scared of me. She has never tried to hump me or chase me. She sometimes stands in front of me shaking and barking (she looks so silly to be so scared). I now spend the time I want upstairs. I get all the love I want.

The world is right once again.

FYI: I personally think dogs are overrated. We cats are better but that is for another post.

By: A very happy Bagheera

Editors Note: While the past 5 weeks has been hard on the people and dog part of the pack, the cat part has not been so happy for years. This is a positive from our tragedy.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Since I have the general belief that no good ever comes from a Thursday and usual spend my Thursday grumpy, I thought it was the perfect moment to rant!

I was having a leisurely Saturday morning, reading the Ottawa Citizen and I came across this article about an ad placed by someone advertising dogs for sale. The ad apparently said if the dogs did not have a home by September 1, they would have them euthanized. They did not want to keep the dog or give it to a rescue type agency. They only wanted to sell it. The ad has been removed, but apparently this type of advertising happens several times a year in Ottawa.

My first thoughts were: You sick bastards, why would you even say that?
It left me sort of speechless really.

I have had 2 dogs euthanized, 2 dogs who were dying and there was nothing else we could do to save them. Keeping them alive was just "prolonging dying and not extending life" as my wise Grandmother would say. And while, the process was peaceful, it was a horrible thing to do. Those who read this blog regularly will know, that while I have moments I would like to "strangle" Miss Bug, I would never really do so, or threaten to do so.

I think this ad just brought up in me negative feelings toward some dog owners. The things people think are ok to do to dogs. All the people who get dogs and then don't want them. I am not judging people who have true changes in circumstances such as illness that were unforeseen that make dog ownership impossible at this time. I am talking about the people who I am going to call lazy. (Dogs are a lot of work, let me tell you). The least this type of dog owner could do is find the dog a suitable home and not threaten to kill it. Sigh!

Ok, that is my rant. I guess I shouldn't be so surprised about how people are toward their animals, look at how we are toward each other.

On a total aside: While I was reading about this and being all angry, Lee's lifesaver toy went under the coffee table. She was scratching the table to get it out. I don't like when she does this so I got up to move the table to get it out from her. In the process I managed to spill my full cup of tea. Lee was a big help. She licked the tea off the side of the table!

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About Us

This is the adventures of an average Lady, her Man, and two dogs.
Feel free to email us at leeandphod@bell.net [That is Lee and Phod!]
The pictures and content here belong to our Lady. Do not use without permission.